Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and sweet kisses (吻). So, I really doubt (怀疑) whether (是否) there is love between my parents. Every day they are very busy trying to make money to pay the schooling for me. They don’t act in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV, and sending flowers to each other on Valentine’s Day is even impossible.
One day, my mother was sewing a quilt (被子). I asked her if there was love between them. She stopped her work and looked up with surprise. Then she bowed (弯下) her head and continued sewing the quilt. I was very worried because I thought I hurt her. But after a few minutes she said, “Look at this thread (线). Sometimes it appears, but most of the time it disappears in the quilt. If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread. It can hardly (几乎不) be seen anywhere or anytime, but it’s really there, and makes the quilt long-lasting.” I listened carefully but I couldn’t understand her until the next spring.
My mother suddenly got sick seriously and had to stay in the hospital for a one-month treatment. Every morning and dusk (黄昏) after she returned from the hospital, my father helped my mother walk slowly on the country road. There were many beautiful flowers, green grass and trees, and the sun gently shone them through the leaves. All of these made up the most beautiful picture in the world. Reading their eyes, I knew they loved each other deeply. From this experience, I realized that love was just a thread in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm.
【小题1】The writer thought his parents’ life was not          .

用括号内所给动词的适当形式填空。

1.I ________ (read) a novel last night when I heard knocks at the door.

2.The young man ________ (live) alone since he graduated from college.

3.Be careful ___________ (not fall) off the ladder.

4.The actor and director ________(be) coming to give us a speech next weekend.

5.I overslept this morning. By the time I got to the train station, the train ________ (leave).

During my last year of junior high school, our teacher, Mrs Debby, gave us a ____1___. I was a hard-working student and I did well in all subjects. I was ____2_____ that I had nailed this test and breezed through (轻松答完) the questions ___3____ I read the last one: ‘What is the ___4____ name of the woman who cleans the school?’
Of course I thought that ___5_____ have been a joke. I saw the cleaning woman every day. She was short and about 50 years old. She had dark hair. But ___6____ would I know her name? I had never talked with her before. In fact, I’d never ___7____ thought about talking to her. I looked at my paper and started to feel rather ___8____. Finally, I handed in my paper, leaving the last one____9___.
Before the quiz (随堂测验) ended, one student asked if the last question would be ___10___ in our grades. “Of course,” the teacher said, “In your life, you will meet many people. They are all ____11___. They deserve (理应得到) your attention and care, even if all you do is to____12___ and say hello.”
I’ve never___13____ that lesson. Everyone deserves my ___14_____ and I should get to know all of the people ___15____ work and live around me. That is, perhaps, the most important lesson of my life. I also later learned that the cleaning woman’s first name was Hannah.

During my second year of nursing school, our teacher gave us a test. I was a hardworking student and I did well in all the subjects. I finished the questions successfully until I read the last one: “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?”
Of course this was a joke. I saw the cleaning woman every day. She is short and about 60 years old. She has dark hair. But how would I know her name? I had never talked with her before. In fact, I’d never even thought about talking to her. I stared at my paper and started to feel rather guilty. Finally, I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.
Before the class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our grades.
“Absolutely,” the teacher said. “In your life, you will meet many people. All are important. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is to smile and to say hello.”
I’ve never forgotten that lesson. Everyone deserves my attention and I should get to know all of the people who work and live around me. That was, perhaps, the most important lesson of my life. I also learned the cleaning woman’s name was Dorothy.
【小题1】How was the writer at the nursing school?

A young man and a young girl get married (结婚). The man has much money, and he likes reading very much in his spare (空闲的) time. The woman is very beautiful, but she doesn’t have anything to do because the servant(仆人)does everything for her every day. She isn’t happy, either. Do you know the reason? Her husband is busy reading his books and has no time to stay with her every day.
One day, she says to her husband: “I would like to be a book!” “Why, dear?” the husband asks. “Then you will love to read me very much” “But I don’t think so, dear. After I read one book, I usually read the next one soon,” the husband answers.
【小题1】The young man is ________.